May 1, 2014 | Pest Control
Shoo Fly…Don’t Bother Me! How to Prevent House Flies
House flies get their name because they’re the most common fly found in homes (genius, right?). They aren’t very adventurous creatures…usually staying within 2 miles of where they were born. Of course like with all species, you have you’re “wild ones” who have been known to go in search of food up to 20 miles away from their birthing place.
Unlike other beings that use their tongue to taste, house flies use their feet. And talk about a sweet tooth, errr sweet foot, house flies feet are 10 million times more sensitive to sugar than the human tongue. That may be “sweet” for them but it’s not so sweet for us humans. House flies have been recorded to carry over 100 kinds of disease causing germs. This can be a great threat to the health of your home. So what can you do?
How to Prevent House Flies
- Keep a clean home. Clean up spills immediately. Sweep, mop, and vacuum frequently.
- Take out the trash. Remove trash from the home on a regularly. Make sure that trash is placed in a tightly sealed garbage container.
- Keep food stored. Store food in tightly sealed containers (including pet food).
- Don’t forget the pets. Clean up pet waste. Also, don’t leave pet bowls out…flies don’t discriminate between pet food and human food.
- Cover up. If you enjoy having doors or windows open make sure to use screens to keep flies from entering.
Do you have problems with flies? Call a professional to inspect your property to find the source of your house fly infestation.
Source: NPMA
Apr 30, 2014 | Uncategorized
PREVENT ANTS FROM MARCHING ONE-BY-ONE INTO HOMES THIS SPRING
Northwest Exterminating shares five simple steps to prevent ants this spring
As weather conditions improve, ants will soon begin to enter homes in search of food and water. Northwest Exterminating encourages homeowners to take proactive steps to reduce the likelihood of seeing these nuisance pests in your garage or crawling across the kitchen counter in the coming weeks.
Ants often infest kitchens and bathrooms, but homeowners may also encounter them in cooler spaces like basements, garages and around air conditioning units. The key to preventing ants from finding a way inside is to eliminate harborage sites around the property.
Experts from the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) recommend the following five simple steps that homeowners can do today to thwart an ant infestation.
- Block off access points. Take time to inspect the outside of your home for cracks and crevices, paying special attention to areas where utility pipes enter. Seal any small holes or gaps with a silicone-based caulk. Keep tree branches and other shrubbery well trimmed and away from the structure.
- Eliminate sources of water in and around the home. Indoors, routinely check under sinks for areas of moisture and repair any leaky pipes. Consider using a dehumidifier in damp basements, crawl spaces or attics. Outside, ensure that downspouts and gutters are functioning properly so that water flows away from the home’s foundation.
- Keep a clean kitchen. Wipe down counter tops and sweep floors to remove crumbs and residue from spills. Store food in sealed containers, and keep ripe fruit in the refrigerator. Also, make sure to dispose of garbage regularly.
- Don’t forget about the pets. After mealtime, keep pet bowls clean and wipe up any spilled food or water around them promptly. Store dry pet food in a sealed plastic container rather than the paper bags they often come in, which can be easily accessed by ants, rodents and other pests.
- Work with a pest professional. Eliminating ants can be a challenge without the proper treatment. Some species of ants, like carpenter ants, can cause serious property damage while others can pose health threats. If you see ants in your home, contact a licensed pest professional to identify the species and recommend a course of treatment.
For more information on ants or other common household pests, please visit www.callnorthwest.com.
Source: PPMA
Aug 26, 2013 | Uncategorized
According to new information gathered by the CDC the number of lyme disease cases is 10 times higher than the 30,000 cases each year that has previously been reported. Because not every case is reported, recent efforts have uncovered that the number of lyme disease cases is about 300,000 each year. The CDC is conducting 3 complimentary studies to improve their count of lyme disease cases.
How to Properly Remove a Tick
Source
To prevent tick bites:
- Avoid thick areas of vegetation.
- Wear long sleeves, long pants, and shoes that cover your feet when going outside.
- Use insect repellant such as DEET.
- Bathe as soon as possible when returning from being outside. This allows you to find ticks easier.
- Check yourself for ticks from head to toe, especially in your hair. Make sure to check your children when they return from being outside.
- Check any jackets, hats, bags, etc. that may have come into contact with ticks.
- Dry clothes on high heat to kill any ticks on clothing and/or accessories.
- Talk to your veterinarian on the best solutions to keep ticks away from your pets.
- Check your pets when they come in from being outside.
- Immediately remove ticks if found on a human or a pet. Find out How to Remove a Tick.
- Keep grass cut and vegetation trimmed to reduce areas for ticks to call home.
For more information on Lyme disease visit the CDC.
For more information on how to control ticks visit Northwest Exterminating.
Mar 27, 2013 | Uncategorized
Homeowners often look for tips on how to keep pests out of their homes. Our blogs are often filled with tips from Northwest Exterminating on common approaches to keeping your house clean, sanitary, and with minimum clutter for keeping bugs out.
www.whatisipm.org offers an interactive home tour that can be used as a guide for you, along with your pest professional, to keep bugs from becoming an issue in and around your home.
The home tour offers great tips such as vacuuming frequently, wiping down counters, and inspecting luggage before bringing it into the house along with other helpful tips. We strongly encourage you to visit this site and see how you can prevent bugs from calling your house, HOME.
Source
Sep 24, 2012 | Lawn Care, Pest Control
Since the advent of agriculture, humans have needed a means to prevent pests from destroying their crops. Techniques such as crop rotation, intercropping and selective breeding of pest-resistant plants sought to make plants less desirable to weeds as well as herbivores. Nowadays, if your garden seems a delectable treat, Northwest offers modern methods through Lawn Care and Wildlife services to tackle these problems.
The traditional idea most people have of pest control involves the use of pesticides. Chemical pesticides, substances intended for the prevention of pests, aim to protect plants by producing an effect that deters, incapacitates, or kills pests. Historians credit Sumerians as the first known civilization to employ pesticides by using sulfur compounds to rid their crops in 2500 B.C. The Egyptians, as well as Chinese, used natural products such as herbs and oils to prevent infestation. With NorPest Green and other Green services, Northwest takes after these ancient societies by using natural methods that eliminate pests with minimal harm to the ecological balance of the environment. We don’t just do pest management – we create healthier living and working environments.
The modern history of pest control began in the 18th and 19th century with the advent of widespread industrialization and mechanization. With the introduction of chemical compounds pyrethrum and derris, pest control became more widespread. The early 20th century saw another change in the pest control industry, with the use of DDT and herbicides. After the 1962 publishing of Rachel Carson’s book “Silent Spring,” the use of known harmful chemicals such as DDT came to a halt. Since then, the shift in pest management has been towards more traditional and natural pest management.
As stated earlier, Northwest maintains a commitment to creating healthier living and work environments by providing green pest control. We know the importance of protecting the health of our clients, their residences and workplaces by offering products that prevent pests without incurring ecological damage. As the Southeast’s leader in Green pest control, Northwest has proven that our products can control pests the way nature intended. We know that this is the future in pest management and hope you become a part of it too by joining the Northwest family.
Melissa Brown
[email protected]
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pest_control
http://extension.psu.edu/ipm/schools/educators/curriculum/contents/shorthistory
